20260403Direct Barretto - Redacted.pdf

RECEIVED
APRIL 3, 2026
IDAHO PUBLIC
UTILITIES COMMISSION
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION )
OF IDAHO POWER COMPANY AND ) CASE NO. IPC-E-26-09
PACIFICORP D/B/A ROCKY MOUNTAIN )
POWER FOR CERTIFICATES OF PUBLIC ) CASE NO. PAC-E-26-06
CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR )
SEGMENT E-8 OF THE GATEWAY WEST )
500-KV TRANSMISSION LINE . )
IDAHO POWER COMPANY
DIRECT TESTIMONY
OF
LINDSAY BARRETTO

1 Q. Please state your name and business address .
2 A. My name is Lindsay Barretto. My business
3 address is 1221 West Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho 83702 .
4 Q. By whom are you employed and in what capacity?
5 A. I am employed by Idaho Power Company ("Idaho
6 Power" or "Company") as the 500 kilovolt ("kV") Projects
7 Senior Manager.
8 Q. Please describe your educational background.
9 A. I received a Bachelor of Science degree in
10 Civil Engineering from Purdue University, West Lafayette,
11 Indiana in 2005 . In 2007, I earned a Master of Science
12 degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. I am a
13 registered professional engineer in the state of Idaho.
14 Q. Please describe your work experience with
15 Idaho Power.
16 A. I began my employment with Idaho Power in 2010
17 as an engineer in Power Production' s Civil Engineering
18 department. As an engineer I worked on hydroelectric and
19 hatchery projects and regulatory compliance. In 2015, I
20 moved to Transmission and Distribution Engineering and
21 Construction as a project manager leading power line and
22 substation projects . In 2018, I became an Engineering
23 Leader, responsible for the Stations Engineering and Design
24 department. In 2020, I was promoted to my current position,
25 Senior Manager of 500kV Projects, where my responsibilities
BARRETTO, DI 1
Idaho Power Company

1 include supervision over Idaho Power' s 500-kV projects .
2 Q. What are the parties requesting in this case?
3 A. Idaho Power and PacifiCorp d/b/a Rocky
4 Mountain Power and Pacific Power (collectively referred to
5 as "PacifiCorp") (together, the "Parties" or "each Party")
6 are requesting the Idaho Public Utilities Commission
7 ("Commission") issue an order granting Idaho Power and
8 PacifiCorp each a Certificate of Public Convenience and
9 Necessity ("CPCN") for Segment E-8 of the Gateway West 500-
10 kV line ("Segment E-8") . Segment E-8 of Gateway West will
11 create up to 2, 000 megawatts ("MW") of additional
12 transmission capacity, allowing the Company to maintain
13 adequate system reliability and providing the ability to
14 interconnect new generation resources across Idaho. In this
15 proceeding, the Parties request that the Commission find
16 Segment E-8 of Gateway West to be in the public interest
17 and grant each Party a CPCN allowing for the commencement
18 of construction of Segment E-8 . The Parties respectfully
19 request the Commission issue the CPCNs no later than
20 October 31, 2026, prior to the Parties entering into any
21 contracts associated with construction of Segment E-8 .
22 Q. What is the purpose of your testimony in this
23 proceeding?
24 A. My testimony begins with a summary of Idaho
25 Power' s involvement in Segment E-8 pre-construction
BARRETTO, DI 2
Idaho Power Company

1 activities performed by PacifiCorp and discussed in the
2 Direct Testimony of Mr. Rick Vail . I will then provide a
3 description of the transmission line design of Segment E-8
4 and the standards and guidelines for which it will be
5 constructed and operated. Finally, I will describe the
6 planned Segment E-8 construction activities and discuss the
7 total estimated costs associated with the project.
8 Q. Have you prepared any exhibits?
9 A. Yes . Confidential Exhibit No . 5 includes a
10 summary of the Segment E-8 costs by cost category and by
11 project owner.
12 I . SEGMENT E-8 PRE-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
13 Q. Was Idaho Power involved in Segment E-8 pre-
14 construction activities being performed by PacifiCorp?
15 A. Yes . Although the Company was not directly
16 performing the pre-construction activities for Segment E-8,
17 and therefore not managing the capital budget for the
18 activities, under the Amended and Restated Gateway West
19 Transmission Project Development Agreement ("'Project
20 Development Agreement") including the associated First
21 through Fourth Amendments, PacifiCorp, as project manager,
22 has responsibilities for preparing and distributing reports
23 to Idaho Power following each calendar quarter regarding
24 projects costs paid and projected to be paid as well as
25 activities and progress towards meeting the project
BARRETTO, DI 3
Idaho Power Company

1 development objectives .
2 Q. Does the Company have the opportunity to
3 review project expenditures?
4 A. Yes . In addition to the ability to dispute any
5 invoiced amounts, under the Project Development Agreement,
6 each owner, at any time, may inspect and audit the books
7 and records of the project manager. As owners of the
8 project, the Parties are jointly and collaboratively making
9 decisions specific to project development objectives
10 including permitting and pre-construction activities
11 associated with Segment E-8 of Gateway West. The Parties
12 anticipate similar provisions will be contained within the
13 Construction Funding Agreement, which will outline
14 construction activities and objectives, when executed.
15 Q. Are there any additional provisions of the
16 Project Development Agreement that outline Idaho Power' s
17 involvement in permitting and pre-construction activities
18 with PacifiCorp as project manager?
19 A. Yes . The Project Development Agreement
20 delegates a portion of the responsibilities for the project
21 to Idaho Power, including: (1) the attendance and support
22 in public presentations regarding federal and state
23 permitting of the project, (2) providing technical and
24 expert knowledge and landowner relationship interface
25 within the geographic boundaries of the project, (3)
BARRETTO, DI 4
Idaho Power Company

1 assistance with customer inquiries associated with
2 permitting and the project itself, (4) technical and
3 environmental expertise related to the National
4 Environmental Policy Act permitting support, (5) design,
5 acquisition of the rights-of-way, and long lead materials
6 for substation work, and (6) design and purchase of long
7 lead material for communication regeneration sites . In
8 addition, under the Second Amendment to the Project
9 Development Agreement, PacifiCorp must regularly consult
10 with and obtain written approval from Idaho Power, with
11 respect to all material Segment E-8 activities, including
12 bid materials, the bid process, proposed contract terms and
13 conditions, design, engineering, geotechnical
14 investigations and securing private property interests .
15 II . THE DESIGN OF SEGMENT E-8 OF GATEWAY WEST
16 Q. Please describe the design of Segment E-8 of
17 the Gateway West project.
18 A. Segment E-8 of the Gateway West project will
19 be a new, 133-mile, single circuit 500-kV transmission line
20 that is constructed between the existing Midpoint
21 substation in Jerome, Idaho and the existing Hemingway
22 substation in Melba, Idaho. One communication regeneration
23 site will also be constructed as part of the project. In
24 addition to the construction of Segment E-8, expansion of
25 the Midpoint substation and modification of the Hemingway
BARRETTO, DI 5
Idaho Power Company

1 substation will be required to accommodate the project.
2 Segment E-8 is designed to withstand a wide range of
3 physical conditions and extreme events . Because
4 transmission lines are so vital to the electrical grid,
5 design standards are stringent. Segment E-8 of Gateway West
6 will adhere to, and where appropriate, exceed, the required
7 codes or standards observed for high voltage transmission
8 line design. This approach to the design, construction, and
9 operation of Segment E-8 will establish utmost reliability
10 for the life of the transmission line.
11 Q. Are there guidelines or standards for which
12 the structure of a transmission line is designed?
13 A. Yes . Overhead transmission lines have been in
14 existence for over 100 years, and many codes and
15 regulations govern the design and operation of transmission
16 lines . Both Idaho Power and PacifiCorp have developed
17 transmission line standards in accordance with the codes
18 and regulation that incorporate safety, reliability, and
19 electrical performance into the design of transmission
20 lines . Several notable standards include the: (1) American
21 Concrete Institute 318—Building Code Requirements for
22 Structural Concrete, (2) American National Standards
23 Institute standards (for material specifications) , (3)
24 American Society of Civil Engineers ("ASCE") Manual No. 74-
25 Guidelines for Electrical Transmission Line Structural
BARRETTO, DI 6
Idaho Power Company

1 Loading, (4) National Electrical Safety Code ("NESC") , (5)
2 Standard ASCE 10-15 Design of Lattice Steel Transmission
3 Structures , and (6) Institute of Electrical and
4 Electronics Engineers ("IEEE") Standard 951-96 Guide to the
5 Assembly and Erection of Metal Transmission Structures .
6 NESC provides for minimum guidelines and industry standards
7 for safeguarding persons from hazards arising from the
8 construction, maintenance, and operation of electric supply
9 and communication lines and equipment. Segment E-8 of
10 Gateway West will be designed, constructed, and operated in
11 accordance with the transmission line standards of both
12 utilities, that meet, and in most cases exceed, the
13 provisions of NESC.
14 Q. Why is Segment E-8 of Gateway West being
15 designed and proposed to be constructed to exceed some NESC
16 provisions?
17 A. The transmission line standards developed by
18 both Idaho Power and PacifiCorp, and utilized for all
19 transmission line builds, typically exceed NESC standards
20 as the NESC provisions outline the bare minimum
21 requirements for transmission line construction. Physical
22 loads induced onto transmission structures and foundations
23 supporting the phase conductors and shield wires for
24 Segment E-8 are derived from three phenomena: wind, ice,
25 and tension. Under certain conditions, ice can build up on
BARRETTO, DI 7
Idaho Power Company

I phase conductors and shield wires of transmission lines .
2 When transverse wind loading is also applied to these iced
3 conductors, it can produce structural loading on towers and
4 foundations far greater than normal operating conditions
5 produce . As a result, some design weather cases for Segment
6 E-8 exceed the requirements in the NESC. In addition,
7 multiple loading conditions that will be incorporated into
8 the design of Segment E-8, including torsional loadings,
9 unbalanced loads, differential ice loads, broken phase
10 conductors, broken sub-phase conductors, heavy ice loads,
11 extreme wind loads, extreme ice and wind loads,
12 construction loads, and full dead-end structure loads .
13 Q. Are there guidelines or standards for design
14 of transmission line foundations?
15 A. Yes . The 2023 NESC Rule 250A4 observes the
16 structure capacity obtained by designing for NESC wind and
17 ice loads at the specified strength requirements is
18 sufficient to resist earthquake ground motions .
19 Additionally, ASCE Manual No. 74 states transmission
20 structures need not be designed for ground-induced
21 vibrations caused by earthquake motion. Historically,
22 transmission structures have performed well under
23
24
25
BARRETTO, DI 8
Idaho Power Company

1 earthquake events, ' and transmission structure loadings
2 caused by wind/ice combinations and broken wire forces
3 exceed earthquake loads . It is common industry practice to
4 design transmission line structures to withstand wind and
5 ice loads that are equal to, or greater than, these NESC
6 requirements .
7 Q. What specific measures have been taken with
8 respect to the design of Segment E-8 for earthquakes?
9 A. Experience has demonstrated that high-voltage
10 transmission lines, like foundations, are very resistant to
11 ground-motion forces caused by earthquake, so much so that
12 national standards do not require these forces be directly
13 considered in the design because the wind and ice loading
14 and specified strength requirements are sufficient to
15 resist earthquake ground motions . However, Segment E-8
16 towers will be located such that they do not straddle known
17 fault lines and foundations will be set back from known
18 surficial fault lines by a distance equal to one and a half
19 times the foundation depth.
20 Q. Did the Parties identify any geologic hazards
21 that would be of risk to the structure?
22
' Risk Assessment of Transmission System under Earthquake Loading. J.M.
Eidinger, and L. Kemper, Jr. Electrical Transmission and Substation Structures
2012, Pg. 183-192, ASCE 2013; see also Earthquake Resistant Construction of
Electric Transmission and Telecommunication Facilities Serving the Federal
Government Report. Felix Y. Yokel. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) .
September 1990.
BARRETTO, DI 1
Idaho Power Company

1 A. At this time, no high-risk geologic hazard
2 areas have been identified. If, during the process of final
3 design, an area is found to be high-risk, the first option
4 would be to microsite, route around, or span over the
5 hazard. If avoidance is not feasible, the design team would
6 seek to stabilize the hazard, or if the problematic soils
7 are relatively shallow, the tower foundations can be
8 designed to pass through the weaker soils and embed into
9 competent soils .
10 Q. How does the potential for lightning impact
11 the design?
12 A. Segment E-8 of Gateway West is in an area
13 where the ground flash density ranges from 0 . 9 to 2 . 5
14 flashes per square kilometer per year which is utilized to
15 define insulation requirements and confirm shielding for
16 the project. Because Segment E-8 will utilize an existing
17 lattice tower family, it has an established shielding angle
18 of 15 degrees, which will adequately dissipate a lightning
19 strike on the shield wires or structures if it were to
20 occur. The electrical grounding requirements for the
21 project will be determined by performing ground resistance
22 testing throughout the project alignment, and by designing
23 adequately sized counterpoise or using driven ground rods
24 with grounding attachments to the steel rebar cages within
25 the concrete foundations as appropriate.
BARRETTO, DI 2
Idaho Power Company

1 Q. Please describe Idaho Power' s plans to reduce
2 risks associated with wildfire during operation of Segment
3 E-8 .
4 A. Idaho Power has developed a Wildfire
5 Mitigation Plan.2 This plan details how the Company uses
6 situational awareness of wildfire and weather conditions to
7 change the way the system is operated. It also includes
8 best practices that internal and contract crews follow for
9 construction and maintenance activities during wildfire
10 season, vegetation management practices, and transmission
11 system and distribution system hardening efforts . Segment
12 E-8 was included in the initial system risk modeling
13 conducted during development of the Idaho & Montana 2026
14 Wildfire Mitigation Plan and will continue to be evaluated
15 through future risk model updates as the project in-service
16 date approaches .
17 Q. Are there any other hazards the Segment E-8
18 design must take into account?
19 A. No. However, during the preliminary
20 construction phase, geotechnical surveys and ground
21 surveys, light detection and ranging surveys ("LiDar") help
22 verify potentially hazardous conditions . If a potentially
23 hazardous area cannot be avoided, the design process will
2 Idaho & Montana 2026 Wildfire Mitigation Plan, see also In the Matter of Idaho
Power Company's 2026 Wildfire Mitigation Plan (Case No. IPC-E-25-32) .
BARRETTO, DI 3
Idaho Power Company

1 seek to stabilize the area.
2 Q. Was any consideration made in the event of a
3 direct physical attack?
4 A. Yes . A direct physical attack on Segment E-8
5 may remove the line' s ability to deliver power to
6 customers . In the case of a direct attack, the line is
7 fundamentally no different than any other supply-side
8 resource under a direct physical attack. However, because
9 Gateway West is connected to the transmission grid, a
10 direct physical attack on any specific generation site in
11 the Pacific Northwest or Mountain West region will not
12 limit Segment E-8' s ability to deliver power from other
13 generation in the region. In this context, Segment E-8
14 provides additional ability for generation resources to
15 serve load if a physical attack were to occur on a specific
16 generation resource or location within the region and
17 therefore increases the resiliency of the electric grid as
18 a whole.
19 If a direct physical attack were to occur on Segment
20 E-8 and force the line out of service, the rest of the grid
21 would adjust to account for the loss of the line . Per the
22 Western Electricity Coordinating Council facility rating
23 process, the capacity rating of Segment E-8 is such that an
24 outage of the line would not overload any other system
25 element beyond equipment emergency ratings . Idaho Power and
BARRETTO, DI 4
Idaho Power Company

1 PacifiCorp also keep a supply of emergency transmission
2 towers that can be quickly deployed to replace a damaged
3 tower allowing the transmission line to be quickly returned
4 to service. Transmission lines add to the resiliency of the
5 grid by providing additional paths for electricity should
6 one or more generation resources or transmission lines
7 experience a catastrophic event.
8 III . CONSTRUCTION OF SEGMENT E-8
9 Q. PacifiCorp witness Mr. Rick Vail indicated
10 Idaho Power will take over management of the project when
11 construction activities begin. When does the Company
12 anticipate construction will begin?
13 A. Construction of Segment E-8 is expected to
14 commence in October 2027 and will be performed in three
15 phases, though the scope of work is consistent across each
16 phase and includes all necessary vegetation management,
17 access road construction, pull-site construction,
18 foundations, self-supporting lattice steel structure supply
19 and installation, phase conductor, static wire, optical
20 ground wire and hardware supply and installation, along
21 with commissioning, testing and restoration.
22 The first phase of the project, the Mayfield
23 Maintenance Section, is anticipated to take approximately
24 eight months, and will include construction of
25 approximately 17 miles of the transmission line, consisting
BARRETTO, DI 5
Idaho Power Company

1 of 68 structures, phase conductor, static wire and optical
2 ground wire . In addition, two cutover sections ("Crossover
3 #1" and "Crossover #2") will be constructed. These are
4 necessary for the existing 500-kV line to stay energized
5 while work on the Mayfield substation occurs . Finally, the
6 realignment of approximately five structures at mile 20 . 5
7 will be performed in Phase I as Segment E-8 will utilize an
8 existing right-of-way for approximately 1 mile and return
9 to a new and separate alignment dedicated to Segment E-8 .
10 The targeted in-service date of Phase I is summer 2028 .
11 Q. What does the second phase of construction of
12 Segment E-8 entail?
13 A. Phase II, the Hemingway to Crossover #1
14 section, consists of the construction of 126 structures
15 that extend approximately 30 miles, beginning at the
16 Hemingway substation and connecting to Crossover #1 built
17 in Phase I . This phase is expected to take approximately
18 seven months to build with a targeted in-service date of
19 late 2028 . Activities during this phase include all civil
20 work, installation of structures, phase conductor and
21 optical ground wire. In addition, from Crossover #1 to
22 Crossover #2 along the existing 500-kV line, work includes
23 removal of the existing static line and installation of new
24 optical ground wire.
25
BARRETTO, DI 6
Idaho Power Company

1 Q. What activities will occur during the final
2 phase of construction?
3 A. During Phase III of the construction of
4 Segment E-8, the Crossover #2 to Midpoint section, the
5 remaining 84 miles of the new line will be constructed and
6 is anticipated to take approximately seven months . Similar
7 to Phase II, activities include all civil work,
8 installation of structures, phase conductor and optical
9 ground wire. Phase III also includes construction of a
10 communication regeneration site. The target in-service date
11 of Phase III is summer 2030 .
12 Q. You identified a different in-service date for
13 each phase of construction. Will all three phases of
14 construction need to be completed before Segment E-8 can be
15 energized?
16 A. No. Phases I and II include the construction
17 of Segment E-8 from the Hemingway substation to the
18 Mayfield substation along with the necessary crossovers and
19 therefore provides for energization of the Hemingway to
20 Mayfield section once completed in late 2028 . Phase III,
21 the Mayfield to Midpoint section of Segment E-8, will
22 follow with energization of the second section targeted to
23 occur in summer 2030 .
24 Q. Has Idaho Power begun the competitive
25 solicitation process to secure a contractor for material
BARRETTO, DI 7
Idaho Power Company

1 procurement and construction of Segment E-8?
2 A. Yes . In January 2026, the Company issued a
3 Request for Information ("RFI") to provide prospective
4 bidders an opportunity to showcase their creativity and
5 ability to sequence and plan their work to fit the
6 sensitive time frames required by the Parties for
7 construction of Segment E-8 . Because the project is still
8 in the design phase, the technical design information
9 provided at the time was limited. Bidders were encouraged
10 to use the information provided, combined with their
11 technical expertise and industry knowledge of best
12 practices to develop a well thought out, reasonable
13 response to the Technical Questionnaire and provide a
14 critical path method and linear schedule based on the
15 information provided.
16 Q. When are responses to the RFI due?
17 A. The Parties requested responses to the RFI be
18 provided by April 10, 2026 . Following evaluation by the
19 Company and PacifiCorp, notifications will be provided to
20 successful bidders with a formal Request for Proposal event
21 anticipated in July 2026 . Execution of a construction
22 contract is expected to occur by December 2026 to allow for
23 the commencement of construction in October 2027 . As such,
24 the Parties are requesting the Commission issue a CPCN no
25 later than October 31, 2026, prior to the Parties entering
BARRETTO, DI 8
Idaho Power Company

1 into any contracts associated with material procurement and
2 construction of Segment E-8 . A final Commission decision in
3 October 2026 is critical to allowing for commencement of
4 construction of the project in time to meet the late 2028
5 in-service date.
6 Q. You indicated the construction of additional
7 facilities will be required for Segment E-8 of Gateway
8 West . Will the construction contractor be responsible for
9 the additional work required?
10 A. No. In addition to the construction of Segment
11 E-8, expansion of the Midpoint substation, modification of
12 the Hemingway substation, and construction of the 500-kV
13 portion of the new Mayfield substation will be required to
14 accommodate the project. However, Idaho Power will utilize
15 Company personnel or retained contractors to perform the
16 substation work as construction can occur coincident to the
17 Segment E-8 transmission line build.
18 IV. SEGMENT E-8 COSTS
19 Q. Do the Parties have an estimate of the costs
20 of Segment E-8 of Gateway West?
21 A. Yes . Based on the most recent forecast, the
22 total cost of the project, including costs associated with
23 permitting, pre-construction activities, construction of
BARRETTO, DI 9
Idaho Power Company

1 Segment E-8 and substation work,3 as well as a contingency,
2 overheads, and Allowance for Funds Used During Construction
3 ("AFUDC") , is approximately , or
4 associated with Idaho Power' s share and $
5 associated with PacifiCorp' s share, on a project ownership
6 basis . Confidential Exhibit No. 5 to my testimony includes
7 a summary of Segment E-8 costs by cost category and by
8 project owner.
9 Q. You indicated a contract has not yet been
10 executed for the construction contractor . Do the Parties
11 anticipate the project cost estimate to change
12 significantly once a contract is executed?
13 A. No. The construction cost estimate was
14 developed utilizing costs associated with construction of
15 other segments of Gateway West and therefore the Parties
16 believe the cost estimate is based on the best information
17 available at this time. Further, the competitive
18 solicitation process has already occurred for pre-
19 construction activities, including the engineer of record,
20 right of entry, right of way, biological and cultural
21 resource surveying, LiDar, and permitting consultants .
22 However, though the cost estimate was determined using a 60
23 percent detailed design, the Parties expect a 90 percent
3 Includes the Mayfield station and line terminal 500-kV facilities, the
Hemingway and Midpoint line terminals, and the communication regeneration
station.
BARRETTO, DI 10
Idaho Power Company

1 detailed design will be available in June 2026 and expect
2 to further refine the cost estimate after that time .
3 Q. What is a detailed design?
4 A. A design starts with a preliminary design
5 based on available data and as additional information is
6 made available, such as detailed topography captured by
7 LiDAR, the design progresses . With more site-specific data,
8 detailed engineering progresses and economization occurs
9 based on on-the-ground data. The 60 percent detailed design
10 includes the design of the latticed steel transmission
11 structures being utilized for Segment E-8, the proposed
12 route location and length, preliminarily sited towers and
13 access roads, and identified primary station equipment.
14 Q. How does this translate to a cost estimate?
15 A. Based on the design, PacifiCorp utilized their
16 utility and industry experience with current market values
17 for materials, equipment, and labor to arrive at the
18 Segment E-8 estimate. They utilize the transmission line
19 design that locates every latticed steel tower and access
20 road needed for the project based on the proposed route
21 location and length and perform a partial material take off
22 for all major items (towers, phase conductors, foundations,
23 roads, rights-of-way, etc. ) using the fewest assumptions
24 possible. PacifiCorp uses the results to develop a cost
25 estimate for the transmission line component of the project
BARRETTO, DI 11
Idaho Power Company

1 based on their expertise and experience.
2 Q. Are the varying percentage levels of detailed
3 design indicative of the percentage accuracy of the cost
4 estimate?
5 A. No. The difference between preliminary design
6 and the levels of detailed design are some of the areas
7 around which assumptions must be made about project
8 requirements . As with any large project, the goal is to
9 increase certainty over time and reduce contingencies and
10 unknowns as the project matures . The design percentage is
11 indicative of the unknowns that have been eliminated.
12 Therefore, the Segment E-8 cost estimate includes a budget
13 for those various unknowns . The Parties have worked
14 collaboratively to calibrate the project cost estimate
15 using PacifiCorp' s experience on recent 500-kV projects and
16 the 60 percent detailed design to develop a cost estimate
17 with as much precision as possible.
18 Q. Do the Parties have cost controls in place for
19 construction of Segment E-8 of Gateway West?
20 A. Yes . Strict project cost controls for internal
21 and external personnel are in place. Regular monthly
22 forecast updates, including the tracking of budgets and
23 schedules, are part of the project controls suites that the
24 project management team employs . All material and
25 construction services will be competitively bid, and
BARRETTO, DI 12
Idaho Power Company

1 construction services contracts will include a schedule
2 with milestone dates that will be tied to monetary
3 penalties for the contractor if key dates slip.
4 V. CONCLUSION
5 Q. Please summarize your testimony.
6 A. Segment E-8 of Gateway West will be vital to
7 the electrical grid and designed to adhere to, and in most
8 cases, exceed, the required codes or standards observed for
9 high voltage transmission line design to establish utmost
10 reliability for the life of the transmission line . The
11 project is in the preliminary construction phase with
12 selection of a construction contractor to occur later this
13 year. Construction of Segment E-8 is planned to begin in
14 October 2027 to ensure energization of the first section of
15 the line can occur in 2028 . As a result, the Parties are
16 requesting the Commission issue a CPCN no later than
17 October 31, 2026, prior to the Parties entering into any
18 contracts associated with material procurement and
19 construction of Segment E-8 .
20 Q. Does this conclude your testimony?
21 A. Yes .
BARRETTO, DI 13
Idaho Power Company

1 DECLARATION OF LINDSAY BARRETTO
2 I, Lindsay Barretto, declare under penalty of
3 perjury under the laws of the state of Idaho:
4 1 . My name is Lindsay Barretto. I am employed
5 by Idaho Power Company as the 500kV Projects Senior
6 Manager.
7 2 . On behalf of Idaho Power, I present this
8 pre-filed direct testimony Confidential Exhibit No. 5 in
9 this matter.
10 3 . To the best of my knowledge, my pre-filed
11 direct testimony and exhibits are true and accurate .
12 I hereby declare that the above statement is true to
13 the best of my knowledge and belief, and that I understand
14 it is made for use as evidence before the Idaho Public
15 Utilities Commission and is subject to penalty for perjury.
16 SIGNED this 3rd day of April 2026, at Boise, Idaho.
17
18
19 Signed: L/
20 Lindsay Barretto
21
BARRETTO, DI 14
Idaho Power Company

BEFORE THE
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
CASE NO. IPC-E-26-09
IDAHO POWER COMPANY
BARRETTO, DI
TESTIMONY
CONFIDENTIAL
EXHIBIT NO. 5